Living in the United States, we can take for granted the fact that our food and beverages are often prepared for us in a safe environment that allows us to consume them at our leisure. Although when we’re preparing foods at home, it’s still very important to be cognizant of how we’re preparing and storing our food for both ourselves and our family’s safety.
Following these four simple steps at home—Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill—can help protect you and your loved ones from food poisoning.
Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often. The germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen. By washing your hands, your utensils, any cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water, you will eliminate these germs and stop them from spreading from surface to surface. Also, make sure to always rinse your fresh fruits and vegetables under running water too.
Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate. It’s very easy for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs to spread germs to ready-to-eat foods—unless you keep them separate. By using separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood, you’ll lessen the risk of cross-contaminating any of the other foods that you’re preparing.
Cook: Prepare at the right temperature. When your food is safely cooked, it means that the internal temperature gets high enough to kill any germs that can make you sick. The only way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. You can’t tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly. Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the “Danger Zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Remember, never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F). Also, make sure you’re thawing your frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw foods on the counter because bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.
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